


Heartstrings

by amordeive



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M, Orchestra, Orchestra!AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-06
Updated: 2014-09-13
Packaged: 2018-02-16 08:06:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2262183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amordeive/pseuds/amordeive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sousuke is a cellist for the Free Orchestra. Makoto is a violinist for the same orchestra. Sousuke cant concentrate on his playing because he has a fixation for the beautiful way Makotos hands play his intrusment. But what happens when Makoto starts staring back at Sousukes hands?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hands

**Author's Note:**

> Alright so this is the start of a series called Free Orchestra. This whole AU is inspired by paintdripps on tumblr. Definitely check them out, they're great. I hope to have this update every Friday but dont take my word for it because classes & work get hectic. But anyways enjoy!

Fingers; poised on the fingerboard of a violin, moving effortlessly. Moving up and down the neck of the violin with ease; caressing each and every string. Delicate hands holding the bow lightly and lovingly, as if it were a beloved’s cheek. Moving back and forth effortlessly, to fill ones ears with a melody of found love. Eyes close, lips slightly turned up, and brows furrowed. His head moved side to side following the flow of the music. It all looked serene, like he was in his own world. Just him, the music and his violin. It was mesmerizing. 

Across from the violinist sat a cellist completely hypnotized by those perfect long fingers. He watched as his fingers moved lightly, moving back and forth quickly. It was all he watched. Those beautiful hands. So infatuated by those hands he hadn’t even noticed that he missed his cue to start playing. Having to wait until the next measure to catch on, luckily no one noticed. Yet he kept staring at those hands. He was glad that the violinist played with his eyes closed. It meant he could stare at those hands without getting caught. None of the other orchestra members noticed his staring, too focused on the music in front of them or at the conductor to look around. Sousuke Yamazaki, cellist for the Free Orchestra had a slight problem. That problem being Makoto Tachibana, the violinist with the hypnotic hands that sat across from him. 

It had been a month since he joined the orchestra and every day he grew more infatuated by Makoto’s hands. The way his music sounded caring and enveloped you with love. A whole month and he hasn’t even said hello to him. Just staring, like the creepy fool he is. But today was the day he would at least make eye contact. Baby steps, Sousuke. However how things are now Sousuke doesn’t think he’ll be making eye contact. Makoto almost always plays with his eyes closed and when his eyes aren’t closed he’s looking at the conductor. Never looks at the other sections of the orchestra. When practice is over Makoto puts away his violin and walks straight to the piano, where his best friend is seated. An exasperated sigh leaves Sousuke's mouth; this is going to be a lot harder than he thought. As he is packing up his cello, his best friend Rin walks up to him with a smirk on his face and his flute case in hand.

“So any progress yet or are you still staring at him like a stalker?” Rin asked in a mocking voice.  
Sousuke frowned and looked away. “No.”  
“Really man this is getting ridiculous, just go up to him and say hi like a normal person.”

Sousuke rolled his eyes in response. Rin makes it sounds so easy. It’s not. They have nothing in common except for the fact they both play string instruments. And anyways all he knows about him is his name and that he has gorgeous hands. He might blurt out something about how pretty his hands are and sound like a total and complete idiot. He refused to let that happen. His eyes glance up towards the piano and watch as Makoto leaves with the pianist and some other musicians. 

“Aaaand there goes your chance, again. So what are you going to do since you won’t just talk to the guy?” Rin asked as he watched the group leave the room.  
“Nothing, keep staring I guess.”  
“You’re fucking creepy.” Rin says walking away.

Sousuke looks down as he shuts his case closed. He knows he’s an idiot. He knows it just so much simpler to just go up to him but he can’t bring himself to do it. So he waits until next practice to try again.  
~~  
Day two of Sousuke’s not so brilliant plan to do nothing but stare at Makoto, in hopes of making eye contact. The orchestra is chatting while they tune their instruments and pull out their sheet music for the day. Sousuke is tuning his cello but still stealing glances at Makoto while he tunes his violin and adjusts the chinrest. Makoto's eyes never once looking up. Sousuke thought that by sitting in the front of the cello section, right across from the first violins Makoto was bound to make eye contact. But it never happened and he was getting impatient and frustrated. His thoughts were interrupted by the conductors tapping to ready their instruments. Sousuke’s frown only got deeper knowing that once Makoto started playing he’d never look up. 

The conductor raised his baton and started the piece, the flutes went first. Rin leading them, with a soft airy melody. Following the flutes entered the rest of the wind instruments, followed by the brass. Next would be the strings, coming in all at once. But Sousuke was so distracted by the way Makoto delicately placed the violin between his chin and shoulder that Sousuke's bow slipped from his hand and dragged across the strings creating a deep screeching sound that made everyone stop abruptly. Sousuke finally got what he wanted, in the worst possible way. Makoto looked up to the origin of the screech and locked eyes with Sousuke. Sousuke had never noticed how green his eyes were until now. He noticed how they shone like an emerald in the sun, the picture of spring in those green eyes. He was so lost in those eyes that a fellow cellist had to nudge his arm for him to pry his eyes away to look at the conductor who looked at him with a confused look.

“Something wrong Yamazaki?”  
“No sir.”  
“Good, then pay attention and play correctly.”  
“Yes sir.”

Sousuke could hear snickers from different sections but none of that mattered because he finally locked eyes with Makoto. Looking away from the conductor to his music he could feel a pair of eyes on him. He looked up and his teal eyes met again with green ones. Makoto was still looking at him, with those spring filled eyes. Sousuke felt a slight blush flush his face but he didn’t break eye contact. That is until Makoto smiled at him and Sousuke’s heart could’ve stopped in that moment. He looked away quickly and jumped back into the music. Glancing up he saw that for the first time since joining the orchestra Makoto Tachibana had his eyes open and focused towards Sousuke.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sousuke finally talks to Makoto. However what comes out of his mouth isn't quite what he planned to say to Makoto in their first conversation.

Strings are a beautiful thing. The way a few simple metal strings pulled tight across an instrument can create such enchanting music. How it can change a crowd’s emotion from happiness to sorrow just by the way the musician drags the bow across those strings. Viola’s with their deep sounds, violins with their high sounds and the cellos with sounds that resonate throughout you. Each one a beauty in their own, becoming even more beautiful when played by experienced hands.

That’s all Sousuke thinks when he hears the strings playing, especially when Makoto plays. Sousuke can never describe the way Makoto plays. It’s in a league all in its own. Which is the reason Makoto is first violin, so when another violinist challenges Makoto for first chair Sousuke scoffs. In his mind no one can outplay Makoto. The piece the challenger chooses is one of betrayal and heartbreak, a piece that normally Makoto wouldn’t choose himself. The challenger smirks to himself, thinking he may outplay Makoto. The room stills and all eyes are towards the front as they begin to play. 

The sound from Makoto’s violin is indescribable. It’s as if the music he creates is wrapping around your heart and plucks at each emotion just right. It fills the air with the feelings are lost love and tears. Sousuke can only watch in awe as Makoto plays the piece with ease while the other violinist in being drowned out by Makoto’s violin. The winner was obvious from the start; you aren’t first chair for nothing. Sousuke knows this personally, having beaten out the first chair for the cello in hopes of playing a duet with Makoto. The loser walks off and takes his original seat while Makoto gives the conductor a quick bow and sits down comfortably in first chair. Sousuke can’t help but smile. 

Practice resumes as normal with little interruption. Apart from the saxophone musician playing obnoxiously loud; this led to an upset french horn turning over his spit filled horn into the lap of said saxophone musician. This allowed Sousuke to hear Makoto’s laugh for the first time. If he had to describe it he would say it was like a crisp spring morning, where the sun is barely coming over the horizon and the dew dripping off the leaves. It was angelic and Sousuke wanted to hear more of it. He wanted to hear it when it was just for him and him alone. He is taken out of his thoughts by the tapping of the conductor’s baton. The orchestra readies their instruments after their little laugh break. In this particular piece it calls for a few measures of a lone cello. Sousuke being first cello has the privilege of the solo.  
Sousuke brings up his baton to the strings and pushes, bringing out a haunting melody. He draws back slowly dragging out the note and starting another. His bow strokes long and slow. His cellos music resonating throughout the hall. The whole time Sousuke plays he feels eyes on him. Lifting his eyes from his music he locks eyes with bright green eyes. Those kind eyes watching intently; watching his every move. Watching his fingers change chords and his hand pull the bow lazily. Sousuke cant help the blush that creeps its way onto his face from Makoto’s intense gaze. Before he looks away from those spring time eyes he sees Makoto’s ears are tinted the slightest pink. 

~~

After rehearsals Sousuke is packing up, and brooding over the fact that he won’t bring up the courage to talk to Makoto. He is about to get up to leave when he hears that angelic soft voice. A voice he has only heard from the other side of the room. But here it is, right in front of him.

“Um…hey there. You’re Sousuke right?”

Sousuke lifts his head to see that the person who he has been staring at for the longest is standing right in front of him and actually talking to him. And he panics. He isn’t prepared for this. So he just stares up at Makoto in silence. Makoto looks around a bit, feeling awkward from the silence. Then his eyes settle back onto Sousuke’s face, smiles and talks again.

“I just um wanted to say that your solo was gorgeous and it really moved me. And that you’re really good with you hands.” Makoto says in a rush, pink dusting his ears and his eyes dart away from Sousukes.

Sousuke sits there stunned and opens his mouth with a smirk. 

“You bet I am. I could show you if you’d like.” And Sousuke dies. Out of all the things he can say, the first thing he says and it’s a damn innuendo.

_Oh man, please don’t think Im a pervert._

Makoto breaks out into the biggest smile Sousuke has ever seen. 

“Really?! I mean if you don’t mind playing with me and showing me how you play. I’d love for you to show me sometime.” Makoto beams. 

Sousuke’s jaw almost drops. It went right over his head. Totally didn’t get it. Sousuke thanks whatever deity allowed for this musician to be so dense. This was going to be interesting. 

“Yea, really. I don’t mind helping out a fellow string musician.” Sousuke shrugs. He stands and notices that Makoto is only about half an inch shorter than him. Hes got the one up on that note. They quickly exchange numbers with the promise of meeting up tomorrow in the music lab to play duets. 

Both men part ways staring at the name written on their phones with the largest grins on their faces, looking forward to tomorrows _private_ practice. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of trouble with this chapter. But I finished it! Sorry if its a bit slow, I just wanted to write a bit about the music and instruments. Next chapter will be full of dorky moments between our boys. So hope you enjoy this, thank you for reading. Also I wonder if you guys can guess who the sax and horn players are ;)


End file.
